Blog posts

Blogging science to life

Fri 16 January 2015,

Microscopes allow you to see the world invisible to the
naked eye. Will and Robbie of the Live Science Team show you a simple
experiment with a laser that you can try at home to search for life in a
droplet of water.

To keep up to date with all our latest videos, don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Blogging science to life

Fri 9 January 2015,

Macro-photography allows you to take your camera and zoom-in
to see what the world looks like up close. In this video, Ross shows you a few
cheap options to make use of lenses you may already have and how to hack a
laser-pointer and the camera on your phone to make your own macro-lens.

To keep up to date with all our latest videos, don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Blogging science to life

Tue 16 December 2014, Hannah Mulvany

Looking for a one-stop shop for your Christmas presents?
Look no further than the At-Bristol gift shop! From classic Christmas gifts
with a cosmic twist to DIY science projects, there’s plenty to keep the whole
family entertained over the festive period.

So to help you choose, we asked 12 of our lovely staff
members what they would like from the gift shop for Christmas. After a LOT of
deliberation, some head scratching, and even some beard twizzling, here is the
selection of gifts that came out on top:

Jen Forster, PR
Manager

“I
would get gift membership*. It is amazing value for money and means you have unlimited
access to At-Bristol, which is great when you have to entertain a
three-year-old!”

There are lots of different money-saving membership options,
whether you are a student, family or solo science enthusiast!

Lucy Whigham, Duty Team Leader

“I would love this talking Paddington Bear because it is
cute and funny!”

The talking Paddington Bear toy is part of the new
Paddington Bear range that is a magnificent new addition to the gift shop.

Ben Bennett, Visitor Services

“I would get this Test Tube Spice Rack. It’s a really
different gift and I love that it gives each different herb a symbol, similarly
to elements in the periodic table.”

The gift shop has a wide selection of other culinary
curiosities – perfect for any budding chefs in the family!

Sini Liponen, Facilities Coordinator

“I’d love to open this Food Face Plate on Christmas Day!
It’s fun and colourful and would definitely appeal to kids – I’m a child at
heart!”

As well as our more advanced kitchen accessories for the
masterchefs in your family, we also have some gifts for the lucky people who
get to sample their culinary triumphs!

Hannah Mulvany,
Communications Officer

“I
love bubbles and I love science, so this is pretty much the perfect present for
me! There are loads of different bubble-making activities inside, so it would
keep me entertained for ages!”

There are
plenty of science-themed games and activities in the At-Bristol shop that will
amaze and inspire over the Christmas period.

Stuart Kemp,
Visitor Services

“This
Starship 4 mug reminds me of when I was a little nipper... I’d love to open
this on Christmas day!”

Fancy evoking
some nostalgia with your relatives? This mug and many others in the collection
can be yours for the bargain price of £2.50!

Caitlin Campbell, Visitor
Services

“Stories
in the Stars by Susanna Hislop would be the best present for me! Just like the
Planetarium, my favourite part of At-Bristol, this book combines my love of
storytelling, myths and science.”

Do you have a
friend or relative who is a bit of a bookworm? The At-Bristol shop has an
amazing selection of books that are sure to bring a smile to their face on
Christmas Day!

Robbie Kornitschky, Live Science Team
Member

“I
was bought Magic Plastic as a child when I visited At-Bristol. I remember being
amazed by it because it seemed so sci-fi at the time!”

Looking to
spread your love of science around your loved ones? We could have the perfect
gift for you! You never know, you might even create such an interest in science
that the recipient will return to At-Bristol as an employee in the future!

Sophie Jerrome, Visitor Services/Ice
Rink Staff

“People
keep coming in and buying these glittery stars for their 5-year-olds, but I really want them!”

Give your home that Planetarium-style feel this Christmas
with the awesome array of cosmic goodies in our shop!

Eva Kozdeba,
At-Bristol Cafe Manager

“This
cup is amazing! I love coffee so it would be great to have something to drink
out of that is so colourful and light! I like that it isn’t made out of plastic
and I haven’t seen them anywhere other than in here.”

If you’re wanting to be environmentally-aware with your
presents this year, we have a large amount of recycled and eco-friendly gifts
in the gift shop so you can help others be more ‘green’ this Christmas!

Tracey Louise
Clark, Visitor Services

“I like using my phone in fun and interesting ways and this
Ani-Mate Mini Movie Maker Kit would enable me to make amazing animations using
my phone. It’s a really interesting gift and is a similar concept to
Animate-It, one of my favourite exhibits in At-Bristol.”

FEAR NOT! At-Bristol might be closed between 24 and 26
December, but you can create your own mini science centre at home with a
selection of items from the shop.

Richard Bravery, Live Science Team
Member/Venue Hire

“I’d get Bart Simpson’s Manual of Mischief so I can play
pranks on my brother over Christmas!”

If you have any family members who fancy themselves as a bit of a prankster,
why not give them another string to their bow this Christmas? Although, you
could give them a taste of their own medicine?!

* The ultimate gift:
At-Bristol membership!

Why not treat yourself or a loved one to a gift membership
to At-Bristol for Christmas? Valid for a whole year from the first usage,
membership will entitle the recipient to unlimited entry to At-Bristol and
other ASTC-affiliated science
centres around the world, free Planetarium shows, fast-track entry, 10%
discount in the award-winning cafe and many other jaw-droppingly good perks.
Best of all, the recipient will get 10% off in the gift shop so they can treat
themselves whenever they visit! You never know, you might receive one of the
above items as a thank you! Here’s hoping....

Blogging science to life

Tue 21 October 2014, Heather

If you’ve been to one of At-Bristol’s After Hours evenings before
then you’ll know to expect plenty of interactive fun and hands-on activities as
we give adults free rein of the science centre, without any kids around! After a break for the summer, this Thursday
we’re back with After Hours: BRAINS.

So far we’ve explored topics ranging from forensics to outer
space, and celebrated Christmas and Valentine’s Day in our own sciencey
style. This is the first time we’ve decided
to delve into the fascinating world of the mind, so we’re looking forward to
getting stuck into plenty of hands-on activities, cranial challenges, and mind-bending
experiments!

We’re very lucky to have close links with our neighbours and local
universities, so naturally we’ve called on a little help! Anthropologist Kate Robson-Brown will be
exploring the evolution of the brain and investigating how closely related we
are to our ancestors; Kelly Sealey, head cookery tutor at Bordeaux Quay, will be whipping
up some brain-based cuisine for you to try; and experts from Bristol Neuroscience will
be on hand to guide you through interactive experiments – including
investigating the electrical nature of nervous activity, and dissecting a real
sheep’s brain.

We caught up with Dr Emma Robinson, a neuroscientist at the
University of Bristol, to find out a bit more about her job and what she’ll be
getting up to on Thursday:

What are you
doing at After Hours?

I’ll be dissecting a brain from a sheep!

What
interesting things will we see inside a sheep’s brain?

The surface of the brain is very folded, similar to the brains of primates and humans, suggesting there's a lot
of processing power. When we cut the brain we'll also see some of the internal structures, such
as the hippocampus, which is a
very beautiful structure and plays an important role in
memory.

What does
your job as a neuroscientist involve?

I'm involved in both teaching and research at the university. I specialise in
pharmacology, the study of how drugs act, and teach students about how drugs
affect the brain. My research group is interested in understanding the
causes of psychiatric disorders such as depression so we can find better ways
to treat patients

What do you
like about living and working in Bristol?

Bristol is a very lively city! I love the fact that I work so near to the heart of the city, but also have access to open spaces such as Ashton Court and the Downs.

We’ll also be challenging your mind with our Brain Games – can you
trick your brain into thinking a rubber hand is your own, or identify your
friends just by their movement? Then, if
your neurons are feeling frazzled, join one of our expert presenters in the
Planetarium, who’ll blow your mind in a completely different way as they take
you on a trip through the wonders of outer space – without having to leave the
comfort of your seat!

Of course, there’ll also be the chance to explore two floors
packed full of hands-on exhibits, fully-licensed bars, and live music – we
guarantee this isn’t your average night out!

Tickets are
£7/£6 for members and concessions (group rates also apply).

Blogging science to life

Fri 10 October 2014,

What happens if you miss a vital ingredient out of a cake? Why is the egg so important? What does baking powder actually do? Join Nerys
and David of the Live Science Team as they investigate the chemistry of cakes
& show you a tasty experiment to try in your own laboratory/kitchen!

To keep up to date with all our latest videos, don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Blogging science to life

Wed 22 October 2014, Eddie Peacock, Formal Learning Communicator

Watch out – this autumn robots will
be invading At-Bristol! Don’t worry though, it’s all part of piloting our
exciting new workshop, LEGO® Robotics. Eddie Peacock, Formal
Learning Communicator and robot whisperer, gives you the scoop on this exciting
project.

When the learning team in
At-Bristol Science Centre start to brainstorm content for new workshops, we’re
always led by any changes in the National Curriculum, as we want our workshops
to support teachers and complement learning in the classroom as much as
possible. As Computing has a much larger focus with the 2014 National
Curriculum, naturally we were keen to create a KS2 Computing workshop – and of
course, we wanted to make it as fun as possible!

After much deliberation, we hit
on a winning idea: LEGO® Robots! Everybody loves robots and LEGO®,
plus LEGO® have an amazing range of educational products which are
perfect for computer programming.

With the support of the
IET we were able to purchase a class set of LEGO® Mindstorms®
NXT, (programmable robotic kits) and then the hard work began. Many hours were spent
building the LEGO® Robots, and lots and lots of time was spent
playing. I know what you’re thinking, it’s a tough job but someone’s got to do
it! My favourite part of this project so far has to be programming loads of
robots to move and swarm like my minions. Of course, I suppose I should get my
head back down with some serious work now...

As all of our schools workshops
are designed to be tailored to students and teachers, we are really keen to
find out what they think, so this October we’re piloting the first of our LEGO®
Robotics workshops to find out. All feedback will be taken into account and
we’ll use this to shape the final workshops which will launch January 2015.

It’s shaping up to be a fun,
hands-on introduction to robotics and programming! Students will learn how to
write and debug simple algorithms that control movement and operate sensors on
a LEGO® Robot, and teachers will benefit from a workshop that brings
a new section of the National Curriculum to life.

If you want more information or
book your place please call 0845 345 3344 (8.30am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays).

Blogging science to life

Mon 6 October 2014, Lee Pullen, At-Bristol's Planetarium Officer

The top five ways to
celebrate World Space Week……according to Lee, At-Bristol’s
Planetarium Officer.

SPACE! If there’s any topic that deserves its own
International Week, this is it. Fortunately the United Nations agree, and since
1999 every 4th – 10th October has been World
Space Week. Here are some suggestions for how you can celebrate this year.

5. Follow space news
We live in a golden age of space exploration. Even as you read this we have robots exploring Mars, a satellite
orbiting a comet, and a probe closing in on Pluto.
And these are just the first three that spring to mind. Never before have we
had so many active space missions, and thanks to the internet it’s easier than
ever to find out about them. To keep track of the latest developments, head
over to the website Portal to the
Universe. This collects together press releases and blog posts from major
space agencies and research centres, all in one convenient location. For
younger audiences, Space Scoop takes some
of these stories and rewrites them in simple language, whilst keeping much of
the detail.

4. Help professional
astronomersIt’s often said that astronomy is one of the few sciences in which amateurs
can make a real discovery. This is very true, as the citizen science project Zooniverse is proving. Astronomers need
the public’s help to find exoplanets; understand galaxy evolution; discover new
features on the Moon; and much much more. You don’t need any science
qualifications to help with these projects as short tutorials get you started.
Over 1 million people worldwide are already involved, so why not join them this
World Space Week! (If you discover something good, be sure to name it after me.
Thanks).

3. Join an astronomy
group
In Bristol we’re lucky to have an active group of friendly hobby stargazers:
the Bristol
Astronomical Society. They have regular observing sessions, lectures, and special
events. They meet at Bristol Grammar School (just off Park Street) on Friday
evenings and are always keen to welcome beginners. Another idea is to join an
online group. The Stargazers Lounge
is vibrant forum filled with astro-experts happy to answer questions of any
level about practical astronomy, from “which telescope is best for me?” to
“what’s the quantum efficiency of a QHY5L-II planetary / guide camera, mono
version?”*

2. Visit a
PlanetariumWell, this was bound to make the shortlist! Seeing a Planetarium show is a
great way to celebrate World Space Week.Obviously At-Bristol’s
Planetarium is one everyone should visit! We have a fantastic team of
presenters that guide audiences around the night sky, pointing out
constellations, showing deep sky objects, and explaining ancient legends behind
the stars. If you’re not local to Bristol then use this interactive map to find
a Planetarium near you.

Image courtesy of Lee Pullen, At-Bristol.

1. Go stargazing!Of course, the best way to celebrate World Space Week is to go stargazing.
Download a free Night Sky Guide from the bottom of this webpage and
head out under the night sky. You don’t need any special equipment to spot
constellations, meteors, satellites and planets. The more you look the more
you’ll see. Stellarium is a free
computer program to help you navigate and is highly recommended. If you have
binoculars or a small telescope then the book Turn
Left at Orion is invaluable. Pro tip: get the spiral bound edition as
that’s much easier to use when you’re out stargazing.

Unfortunately in this country the weather is often against
us. To help plan observing times there’s a brilliant website called Clear Outside designed
for amateur astronomers. It gives an hour-by-hour prediction of cloud cover,
and includes handy features such as the timings of International Space Station
passes.